DNA tracking in the textile and apparel industry represents a cutting-edge technological approach that harnesses the power of genetic information to enhance transparency, authenticity, and quality control throughout the supply chain. By incorporating DNA-based markers or tags into textiles and apparel products, manufacturers can establish a unique molecular signature for each item. This signature acts as an irrefutable identifier, allowing stakeholders to trace the product's journey from its origin to the hands of the consumer. This innovative method holds the potential to revolutionize the way we understand and manage the production, distribution, and verification of textiles and apparel, ushering in a new era of accountability and trust in the industry.

Let us pull back the curtain and have a look at the benefits of DNA tracking.

Benefits of DNA solutions

Authentication and Counterfeit Prevention

DNA tracking provides a highly reliable method to verify the authenticity of textiles and apparel. This is crucial for preventing counterfeiting, as it becomes nearly impossible to replicate the specific DNA markers used for tracking.

Supply Chain Transparency

DNA tracking enables a transparent supply chain by allowing manufacturers, retailers, and consumers to trace the origin and journey of a product. This transparency can enhance accountability and ensure ethical sourcing practices.

Quality Control

DNA tracking can aid in maintaining consistent quality by identifying potential defects, contamination, or anomalies in the manufacturing process. This ensures that only products meeting specific quality standards are delivered to consumers.

Regulatory Compliance

In industries where regulations require tracking and labelling of materials or components (e.g., textiles with specific certifications like organic or sustainable), DNA tracking can facilitate compliance by providing a tamper-proof method of verification.

Brand Trust and Consumer Confidence

Brands that adopt DNA tracking demonstrate a commitment to product authenticity and quality. This can enhance consumer trust and loyalty as shoppers are assured of purchasing genuine products.

Recall Management

In the event of a product recall, DNA tracking can help identify the affected products quickly and accurately, minimizing the impact on consumers and reducing the financial and reputational damage to the brand.

In conclusion, DNA tracking offers promising benefits for enhancing authenticity, transparency, and quality control in the textiles and apparel industry. Brands must also consider the overall environmental impact of the technology when evaluating its implementation. Here we must use tools that calculate data accurately and do not use average data.

One of the leading companies of DNA tracking is the Swiss company Haelixa.

Haelixa has developed an innovative technology based on DNA to mark, trace, and authenticate products. The marker is applied to the product, which provides it with a traceable fingerprint from producer to retail. Without any limitations to the amount of DNA markers to be used in the process, a distinct one can be provided to identify each individual manufacturer, collection, production lot, or even fiber type (e.g. recycled). The marker can be applied to natural fibers such as cotton, wool, silk, etc., and man-made fibers. The markers have been approved as chemical inputs by various organizations.

"The first step is for brands to map their supply chains and locate their raw materials," said Gediminas Mikutis, CTO & Co-Founder of Haelixa

Close the gap between buyer expectations for supply chain transparency and your brand’s ability to prove it.

Benefits of bomler by natific:

• Product Supply Chain Mapping – down to the smallest component or raw material.

• Provide consumer visibility into where the products they purchase are made.

• Compliance tracking for Social, Eco, Color, and equipment audits or certifications.

• Industry Group or Brand-specific questionnaires or surveys. An opportunity for manufacturers to showcase their certifications, capabilities, and the products they make.

• Visibility into new potential manufacturers in a region or to source a particular product.

• Integration of DNA solutions